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A candidate in a Herefordshire election says “childish” local adversaries are making off with his signs.

While a fiercely contested and at times intemperate presidential battle has been fought out on the world stage, on a slightly smaller scale Dave James, Reform UK’s candidate in this week’s Bishop’s Frome and Cradley ward byelection says his election banners in the two villages have been sabotaged.

“If I put a banner up anywhere in both villages they are removed,” he said.

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“First it was just pull them down and leave them on the ground and I would just put them back up again. Then they started to disappear without trace.”

Yet banners outside of the two villages have not been touched, Mr James said, adding: “I've no idea who's responsible, but no Green banners – the only other party to have put any up – have been removed.”

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Formerly held by Dr Ellie Chowns who stepped down from the county council following her election to the Parliamentary seat of North Hereford in July, the seat has been represented by the Greens for the past 18 years.

By contrast it is Reform UK’s first attempt to take the ward.

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“I’m not pointing a finger at anyone,” Mr James added. “But it’s like someone is saying ‘don’t play in my backyard’, which is very childish.”

Voting in the largely rural ward, extending from south of Bromyard to the Worcestershire border near Malvern, will be held in the village halls of Bishops Frome and Cradley, as well as those in Stanford Bishop and Storridge, between 7am and 10pm on November 7.

The five candidates standing are Mark Franklin (Conservative), Sandy Grenar (Labour), Dave James (Reform UK), Rebecca Tully (Green) and Nicki West (Liberal Democrats).